Flexible meter configuration software architecture

• US 8,839,101 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aclara Meters LLC (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jhang, Hyoung, Desai, Parimal Arunkumar, Sampson, David Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US12/986,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/255, 715/227, 702/57
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/00 Arrangements for measuring time integral of electric power or current, e.g. electricity meters
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/10 using digital techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Aspects of the invention provide a tool for configuring software for an electric meter. A parameters table having values for the electric meter in a platform independent format is created. The table is then merged with to a mapping table that is configured specifically to the particular model of the electric meter to be configured to form a build table that can be executed on the electric meter. The build table is then installed on the electric meter.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of configuring software for an electric meter, the method comprising:

creating a configuration parameters table having values for the electric meter in a platform independent format, the platform independent format being a format that is not specifically adapted to a model of the electric meter;

merging the configuration parameters table with a configuration mapping table configured specifically to the model of the electric meter to transform the parameters table into a configuration build table and PRO files that are executable on the electric meter to operate the electric meter; and

installing the configuration build table and the PRO files on the electric meter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration parameters table is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating further comprises:

obtaining values for properties specific to the electric meter via a graphical user interface (GUI);

validating the values with a defaults table including default values for the electric meter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the defaults table defines at least one of a property name, a property type, acceptable property values, or a property default value.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the defaults table includes business rules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration build table includes an ANSI C12.19 table.

7. A computer system for configuring software for an electric meter, the computer system comprising:

a component configured to create a configuration parameters table having values for the electric meter in a platform independent format, the platform independent format being a format that is not specifically adapted to a model of the electric meter;

a component configured to merge the configuration parameters table with a configuration mapping table configured specifically to the model of the electric meter to form a configuration build table and PRO files that are executable on the electric meter to operate the electric meter; and

a component configured to install the configuration build table and the PRO files on the electric meter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuration parameters table is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) table.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a component configured to obtain values for properties specific to the electric meter via a graphical user interface (GUI); and

a component configured to validate the values with a defaults table including default values for the electric meter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the defaults table defines at least one of a property name, a property type, acceptable property values, or a property default value.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the defaults table includes business rules.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the configuration build table includes an ANSI C12.19 table.

13. A computer-readable device having a computer program comprising program code embodied therein, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of configuring software for an electric meter, the method comprising:

creating a configuration parameters table having values for the electric meter in a platform independent format, the platform independent format being a format that is not specifically adapted to a model of the electric meter;

merging the configuration parameters table with a configuration mapping table configured specifically to the model of the electric meter to form a configuration build table and PRO files that are executable on the electric meter to operate the electric meter; and

installing the configuration build table and the PRO files on the electric meter.

14. The computer-readable device of claim 13, wherein the configuration parameters table is an Extensible Markup Language (XML) table.

15. The computer-readable device of claim 13, the creating further comprising:

obtaining values for properties specific to the electric meter via a graphical user interface (GUI); and

validating the values with a defaults table including default values for the electric meter.

16. The computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the defaults table defines at least one of a property name, a property type, acceptable property values, or a property default value.

17. The computer-readable device of claim 15, wherein the defaults table includes business rules.

18. The computer-readable device of claim 13, wherein the configuration build table is an ANSI C 12.19 table.